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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23789362">A Biography of Roy Mustang</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolaScientia/pseuds/SolaScientia'>SolaScientia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, M/M, Other Canon Characters - Freeform, biography</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:09:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23789362</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolaScientia/pseuds/SolaScientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief biography of Roy Mustang written in the style of Roman historian/author Nepos. 03 anime, and Conqueror of Shamballa, is the focus, not manga or Brotherhood.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric/Roy Mustang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Biography of Roy Mustang</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This will likely read very strangely to most of y'all. I wrote this back in Fall 2009 in college. One of my advanced Latin courses focused on specific Roman authors for us to translate and Nepos was one of them. For one paper we had to write a biography in the style of Nepos, in English not Latin (though I've plenty of experience doing English to Classical Latin translations). I chose Mustang, because of my love of FMA and Mustang. I've read through it again and didn't make any changes to it. I got a very good grade on it and I didn't spot any grammatical issues (do let me know if I missed any). The style likely won't appeal to most people but it's written as it is on purpose. I'm still a massive Classics nerd and I love this all the same. Roy/Ed is mentioned but not explicit. This is based from the 03 anime and the Conqueror of Shamballa film. Not manga/Brotherhood compliant.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Roy Mustang (ロイ・マスタング)</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>I. Roy Mustang, son of Jiao-long, a native of Xing, was of a not so noble family. Although he is thought to have been born into an honest, hardworking family, Mustang was raised in a much different sort of family. Mustang arrived in Amestris, a country to the west of Xing, as a young boy and was taken in by Madam Christmas, who happened to be the proprietor of a most licentious house. He worked hard and honestly; he studied alchemy in his spare time in that he might become a State Alchemist in the Amestrian military. He was courteous only to those who held power over him, but he was not prone to extreme rudeness to subordinates or equals in power. He was in command of a charismatic personality and would never intentionally steer a person wrong. On the other hand, Mustang was known to be lackadaisical when it came to paperwork and any work related to activities not pertaining to alchemy. Although he held an interest in all forms of alchemy, he was particularly devoted to the science of flame alchemy; he fashioned himself gloves made out of pyrotex or spark cloth. At a snap of his fingers he was able to control the level of oxygen and other gases in the surrounding area; the result could either be a small explosion resulting in superficial burns, or a large and destructive explosion which was capable of destroying large buildings. There was no one during his time or after his time who had such skill and magnificence in flame alchemy.</p>
<p>II. Mustang diligently studied alchemy, especially alchemy concerned with fire, and he also applied himself to any tasks set to him by Madam Christmas, a woman of whom he had come to think as a mother. At the young age of seventeen Roy Mustang sat the written State Alchemist Examination, sat the interview which was administered by high-ranking officers within the Amestrian Military, and demonstrated his prowess with flame alchemy. He became one of the youngest and most competent State Alchemists to pass the trials and he was given the title, “Flame Alchemist.” In later years he would become known as the “Flame Colonel.” He was not the only greatly skilled alchemist of his year. Zolf Kimblee, “Crimson Alchemist,” was skilled in explosives; he had ability to make objects [and people] explode merely by touching them. That on account of the transmutation circles tattooed onto the palm of each hand. But enough about him, it need only be mentioned that Kimblee and Mustang were not close in their relations. However, Mustang did gain a close friend in Maes Hughes, a regular soldier in the military; Hughes was a pillar of strength and a source of comfort for Mustang. Mustang would come to rely on Hughes as his closest companion for many years. Mustang trained assiduously with the other alchemists and was considered a formidable man; many, not only regular soldiers, feared him and admired him. Toward the end of his training a war broke out with Ishbal, a region of ethnically different peoples to the southeast of Central City [the capital of Amestris at the center of the country]. I am unaware of any reason why the Ishbalan Civil War should not be called the Ishbalan Massacre. Colonel Mustang would change the way history viewed the Ishbalan War after he gained more power and influence in the military.</p>
<p>III. Mustang, along with other State Alchemists and soldiers, was sent to Ishbal in the twenty-third year of his life. The Ishbalan Rebellion had been occurring for the past seven years and Führer King Bradley, the president and supreme military commander of Amestris, ordered all military personnel to Ishbal to crush the rebellion. Mustang went proudly to serve his country, but he did not hold this view for a long period of time. The State Alchemists were issued with small objects called “Red Stones,” which, I have discovered through those who have come before me, are believed to have been incomplete and unstable versions of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone is thought to be a small red stone with the ability to override the Alchemy Principal of Equivalent Exchange, the ability to perform Human Transmutation [which is the ability to bring a human back to life. It is a taboo of the strictest sort for alchemists.], and the ability to open the Gate. But again, I am straying from the object of my pursuits. The Red Stones were used to amplify an Alchemist’s abilities. Mustang wore his stone set in a ring upon his finger; each snap of his fingers left behind nothing except for desolation and death. Without the presence of Hughes, he would have surely lost his mind. Indeed, there was one point where Mustang had to be stopped from committing suicide. Having been issued the order to kill two Amestrian doctors, the Rockbells, who were helping heal Ishbalans wounded in the Massacre, Mustang obeyed that order, but after a brief period of time had to be stopped by another State Alchemist from shooting himself in the head. Mustang also planned to attempt human transmutation to reverse his actions; actions consisting of not just killing the two innocent doctors, but thousands of Ishbalans, many of which who were not actively fighting against the military. He was stopped by his most intimate friend, Hughes. It was Hughes who gave Roy Mustang the inspiration to take over the military, and consequently the country, from within. From that moment, Mustang began his plan to rise in power and to control the country. He would not allow such a massacre to happen ever again in his country. </p>
<p>IV. After the Ishbalan Massacre came to an end, Mustang was sent to Central Headquarters and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; it was then that he received a letter meant for another officer whose position Mustang had replaced. The letter was from two young boys, Edward and Alphonse Elric, and Mustang, upon reading the letter, immediately journeyed to Resembool, a town in the south very near to where Ishbal was formerly located. What he saw there both shocked and scared him. The two boys had attempted Human Transmutation and had suffered the most horrific consequences for following in the steps of Icarus and trying to get too close to “God.” Thus Mustang, after he saw the remnants of their attempt, found the boys at the house of the Rockbells; the very same ones related to the two doctors whom Mustang killed in Ishbal. However, the boys were not left unharmed on account of their actions; Alphonse, the younger, was no longer a physical human boy, but a large suit of armor. The Gate had taken his physical body as part of the payment for their mother, whom they were trying to bring back to life. Edward was still in his physical body, but was missing his right arm and left leg; the Gate had taken his left leg as part of the payment for their mother and Ed had given the Gate his right arm to regain his brother’s soul, which he bound to the suit of armor by means of a blood seal. Mustang knew what the boys were planning on doing [getting their original bodies back from the Gate] and informed them to call him when they were well enough to take the State Alchemist Examination. Mustang was struck by the strength he saw in the older brother and he vowed to help the boys as best he could. Knowing what would happen should he get too attached to Edward, Mustang knew he would have to keep his distance as best he could, but he knew he would fall.</p>
<p>V. After he returned to Central City, Mustang was sent to East City as a precautionary measure by the higher ranked officers in the military. It was less that they suspected Mustang of planning to overtake the current Führer at that very moment, but more that they were concerned with the rate at which Mustang was being promoted. It was decided that he would be better suited and out of the way in East City. Mustang spent one year in East City before being called back to Central City, on account of the matter of a serial killer who was attacking women. The Amestrian Military had no other option than to promote Mustang to Colonel and have him return to Central City. Mustang, being close with his commanding officer in East City, was allowed to select several officers whom he could bring with him to Central City; they were Sergeant Heymans Breda, Warrant Officer Vato Falman, Sergeant Kain Fuery, Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, and First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. It would be with these most loyal subordinates that Mustang would be able to enact his plans. Upon returning to Central, Mustang met with Edward and Alphonse Elric and it was decided that Ed would spend his time preparing for the State Alchemist Examination while staying at the house of another State Alchemist. Ed passed the exam with high scores, but he had also gained the attention of high ranking officers in the military. For Ed had the ability to perform alchemy without first having to draw out a particular transmutation circle needed for whichever action he wished to perform. Ed merely had to slap his hands together in front of him and he would be able to perform whatever transmutation he wished, so long as he pictured clearly in his mind the circle he needed. He had been outfitted with a mechanical prosthetic called automail for his missing arm and leg, and he was given the title of “Fullmetal Alchemist” on account of those completely metal limbs. As a precaution against further investigations by the military High Command and as a way of helping Ed and Al in their quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone, Colonel Mustang sent them to Lior to investigate an unusual practice of alchemy in the city. Mustang would continue to send Ed on various missions which would hold clues about the Philosopher’s Stone, but none of the missions provided much solid evidence about the Philosopher’s Stone.</p>
<p>VI. While Ed and Al were sent on various missions, Mustang passed his time in Central as quietly as possible, for he did not wish to gain too much notice from the High Command. The appearance of an Ishbalan man on a mission for revenge and the appearance of creatures called Homunculi [who are the results of attempts at Human Transmutation. They have no soul and only very vague memories of the person whom they were supposed to be. They are said to be immortal.] would make his time quite eventful and upsetting. Not long after Colonel Mustang sent Ed and Al on another mission related to the Philosopher’s Stone, Mustang’s closest friend, Maes Hughes was killed by a Homunculus named Envy. He was killed because he, by means of deep investigations, had gotten too close to the truth about the Homunculi and the truth about the High Command. Mustang was left on his own to investigate quietly Hughes’ murder and what Hughes himself was investigating in turn. Mustang, with the help of Ed, Al, and his other subordinates, learned that the military, at the behest of the High Command, had been performing tests on convicted criminals who were supposed to have been put to death. Some were turned into chimera, beings created by joining a human with an animal by means of alchemy [this use of alchemy is also a taboo], others were used to create the red liquid used to make the Red Stones which, in turn, are used to make a Philosopher’s Stone. It was revealed, to the horror of many, that the main ingredient for a Philosopher’s Stone was living humans, many hundreds of humans. It is said that a city on the edge of the Great Desert which separates Amestris and Xing was completely destroyed because the entire city was used to make one Philosopher’s Stone the size of the palm of a hand. It was shortly after this that Ed and Al went searching on their own for any news pertaining to the Philosopher’s Stone. It is believed by many that the boys did this because of Führer King Bradley, who was discovered to be a Homunculus named Pride. </p>
<p>VII. Mustang was sent after the boys and was ordered to bring them back to Central by force if they refused to come quietly. He hastened to obey these orders, but only so that he could come in contact with Ed and formulate a plan for executing his coup d’état. When he located Ed and Al, it was apparent that Ed’s relationship with Mustang was strained; for he had learned his superior, a man for whom he had great respect, was responsible for the death of the parents of a friend whom he had known since his childhood. Despite the Flame Colonel’s explanation for why he had killed the two doctors, Ed, unwilling to accept those words, was cruelly insulted by the actions of his Colonel. It may be said that this was a hypocritical process of thought because both Mustang and Ed were “dogs of the military;” both men were under the control of the Military High Command and had no choice except to obey the orders given to them, even if such orders were of a distasteful nature. Although Edward and Mustang’s relationship was strained after that meeting, the two men agreed to work together to bring down the Military High Command, Führer King Bradley in particular. At this point, the Homunculi, who had been merely observing the events unfold within Amestris, made their move, and although all the Homunculi were stopped before their plan to turn all of Amestris into a Philosopher’s Stone was enacted, Edward Elric disappeared to the other side of the Gate [which is believed to be, by rumor, a world without alchemy and in the middle of fighting a worldwide war. Those people used large flying machines shaped similar to long, silvery tubes with fins attached at one end to attack targets on the ground. I have heard that these bizarre machines were once called, “Zeppuren,” but it is of no concern for this subject of my pursuit.], while his brother having been returned to his human body was left on the other side of the Gate in Amestris. Roy Mustang was promoted to Brigadier General, but he chose to seclude himself in the North near Drachma, a country to the North of Amestris and separated from Amestris by the Briggs Mountain Range, to await the return of the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. Mustang had not realized his affection for the younger man until that same one was no longer by his side. </p>
<p>VIII. Life proceeded as usual in Amestris for about one year until the world was shaken by the arrival of humans from the other side of the Gate. The humans no longer used those large flying machines, but small ones called “earopureen.” They arrived with the intention to take control over Amestris and its surrounding countries; however, they did not take into account alchemy, Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang, all of Mustang’s loyal subordinates, and Edward Elric. Although much damage was caused, the outsiders from that other world were successfully defeated and forced back to their own world and the Gate which had been forced opened by the outsiders was sealed permanently. With this deed having been done, Brigadier General Roy Mustang was filled with such relief and emotion that he could not contain his feelings for his younger subordinate. Ed was also overcome with emotion on account of being back in his own world after being in such a foreign location for a year. The two alchemists would spend the rest of their lives in each other’s company.</p>
<p>IX. Because of Mustang’s exemplary dexterity in the face of such a grave danger to Amestris, he was elected as the country’s Führer. He would go on to lead the country through the most peaceful existence since the founding of Amestris many hundreds of years ago. With Mustang established as the leader of the High Command, no longer was there the need to conquer other lands to expand the territory of Amestris. Thus there would be no leader so competent and well thought of by all people as Führer Roy Mustang. He lived for many years with Ed by his side until quite an old age when he died peacefully in his sleep. He left behind his lover of many years, close friends, and many grieving citizens of the country. It would not be too many more years before the Fullmetal Alchemist would follow the Flame Alchemist out of existence and into history as the alchemists who helped save Amestris from absolute annihilation. </p>
<p>X. The Führer who followed Mustang would do his best to imitate Mustang and to make sure that the citizens remembered all that the Flame Alchemist had done for their country. Historians would relate about him that he grew from humble beginnings and diligently worked his way higher to be acknowledged as a competent and skilled alchemist by his superiors; that he never intentionally steered a loyal subordinate in the wrong direction; that he was rumored to be a womanizer, but in actuality only loved one person for the greater part of his life; that he was a just and strong president of the country and never failed to think of the citizens first; and that he forged stable relations between the countries of Xing and Drachma. The Flame Alchemist died at the age of about eighty-five years. Let us proceed to speak of others.</p>
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